The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced today that they have signed free agent safety Dashon Goldson to a five-year contract.

Goldson (6-2, 200) joins the Buccaneers from the San Francisco 49ers, where he was selected as a fourth-round pick (126th overall) in the 2007 NFL Draft. Elevated to the team's starting free safety role in 2009, Goldson has earned consecutive Pro Bowl selections following the 2011 and 2012 seasons. He also received AP first-team All-Pro honors in 2012.

During his six-year career, Goldson has played in 81 games with 64 starts, recording 443 tackles, three sacks, 14 interceptions, 35 passes defensed, five forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. He has also started all five of his playoff game appearances, including Super Bowl XLVII. In the postseason, Goldson has notched 47 tackles, one interception, three passes defensed and one forced fumble.

In 2011, Goldson finished tied for second in the NFL with six interceptions, and his nine interceptions over the past two seasons ranks tied for sixth-most in the NFL during that span.

In 2012, after having been franchised by San Francisco, Goldson was part of a pass defense that ranked fourth overall in the NFL, allowing only 200.2 passing yards per game. The 49ers also ranked first in the league by allowing 10.31 passing yards per completion and second with 5.13 passing yards allowed per attempt. Opposing quarterbacks finished the season with a 78.0 quarterback, which ranked seventh in the league.

A native of Carson, Calif., Goldson played one season of collegiate football at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College before transferring to the University of Washington. As a freshman with Coffeyville, Goldson was named first-team National Junior College Athletic Association All-American, as well as the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Defensive Player of the Year. In three seasons with the Huskies, Goldson recorded 194 tackles, four interceptions, 22 passes defensed, one forced fumble and four fumble recoveries. He earned a degree in American ethnic studies in June 2006.